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stand by
verb
(intr, adverb) to be available and ready to act if needed or called upon
(intr, adverb) to be present as an onlooker or without taking any action
he stood by at the accident
(intr, preposition) to be faithful to
to stand by one's principles
(tr, adverb) English law (of the Crown) to challenge (a juror) without needing to show cause
noun
a person or thing that is ready for use or can be relied on in an emergency
( as modifier )
stand-by provisions
in a state of readiness for action or use
adjective
(of an airline passenger, fare, or seat) not booked in advance but awaiting or subject to availability
Idioms and Phrases
Be ready or available to act, as in I'm almost ready for you to carve the turkey, so please stand by . [Mid-1200s]
Wait for something to resume, as in We are all standing by until the power is restored . Also see on standby .
Be present but remain uninvolved, refrain from acting, as in I can't stand by and see these kids shoplifting . [Late 1300s]
Remain loyal, as in She's my friend and I'll stand by her, no matter what . [Early 1500s] Also see stick by .
Adhere to, abide by, as in I'm going to stand by what I said yesterday . [Late 1300s]
Example Sentences
As the candidate for the Union for Change 2025 -- a coalition of minority opposition parties and civil society groups -- he became the leading challenger after Kamto was barred from standing by the Constitutional Council.
“When others abandoned us, you stood by our side.”
His hunger for meaning is palpable, so loved ones can either stand by his side or lose Ron entirely to this nonsensical mission.
If you’re unlucky enough to be standing by the side of that road, you’d better believe that you could get hurt, even if it’s just by someone speeding.
Patel said the Conservatives stood by the right to protest and freedom of expression.
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